2x oprah novelist editing

[kayegibbons]

Hi-This is Kaye Gibbons. I sound ancient re-reading this, but I only look it today. I've published 10 others, had 2 movies, one about to go into production, lots of articles, and been blessed to read several manuscipts, like COLD MOUNTAIN and A FALSE SENSE OF WELL-BEING, and get them to agents. I've just completed another and sent my third daughter to college, with a fierce case of empty-nest syndrome, but instead of starting another novel right away, I'm starting a business of sorts, and looking to edit manuscipts of novels or short stories, and help writers get them prepared for an extremely competitive and often frustrating world of agents and editors.

I understand time, work 18 hour days, and after raising three girls and writing for 23 years, I've found that you can get so close to a manuscript, the critical distance you've had starts to falter, and then if it's rejected, it's almost impossible to see why it happened. Before a page is published, I've re-written it at least 50 times, and I still worry if I submit it without having had someone objective read it. I know a lot of editors and agents who won't, or can't, read cold submissions, and I remember that Catch-22 predicament. If we work on a manuscipt that should be seen by an agency, I'll help with that as well. People too often obsess about the wrong things, cover letters, font, biographical information, whether to mail or overnight something, when agents care only about the quality of the work. Language and story are everything. Besides taking care of my children, getting a book from a state of confusion to a shelf is what I do, so let me know if I can help you do the same.
Kaye
My website's down right now, but my resume, interviews, etc. are on the Harcourt site, and amazon. I'm in the Raleigh area, but if you're interested in working online, also by phone, just let me know here, or email me at junglequeen40 at aol (I couldn't post a link yet, thanks)